Ice in the desert

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me here in Kuwait. With the end of the first quarter fast approaching (didn’t I just start working here?), there are assessments to be completed, report cards to be filled in and of course my least favourite day- Parent-Teacher Conference is coming up. With all the paperwork almost complete, a few friends and I decided that we needed to take a break from the admin. We decided to visit a new café that recently opened up in Kuwait City called Minus 11. The premise of this café was that everything in it was made of ice- from the décor to the seating. Now, not being a fan of ice, snow and general cold weather, I was sceptical but you know, I am a curious panda so I agreed to check this place out.

Standing outside the café gave no indication of what we would experience once we got inside and that made me dubious again. However we were ushered through the entrance and after paying , we chose what we wanted to eat and drink. After which, we went to a closet where we were kitted out with a fleece sort of Harry Potter cloak, a large winter jacket, gumboots and gloves. I wondered if all of this was necessary…. And then we stepped inside.

It was necessary.

With the temperature set at minus thirteen, the café was freezing and I experienced a flashback of a wet, white, snowy, wintery night in South Korea when Fox proposed and I said yes! Gleaming ice crystals sparkled on the ceiling and the floor shined white under a blanket of white gravel. Yes everything is really made of ice from the chairs to the tables to the sculptures around the place. If you don’t believe me, have a look at some of the pics from the café (please excuse the bad lighting!).

After we snapped photos, ate and drank, our fingers and toes were numb so we exited the ice section of the café.

We were given locks on which we could write a message and fasten it into their ‘locks of love’ wall. The whole experience was a barrel of laughs and giggles since we were a group of ladies although I personally think it would be a great destination for a date. Cold=plenty of cuddles and handholding…. Hmm…

Not something I would do again in a hurry purely because I am a cold-hater but a very enjoyable way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon in Kuwait city. Even better was walking out of Al Tijaria Towers and realizing that Al Shaheed Park was just across the road from us!

Set against the backdrop of the Kuwait City skyscrapers, it really is a pretty park to stroll through (again, super romantic) as the pictures show…

There are a lot of sculptures, monuments and structures in the park, which makes it an interesting mix of urban and natural environments. There are a few eateries, a museum and a library of sorts there but we didn’t spend much time exploring these, vowing to return another time since they sometimes have events in the park.

Yet another pleasant afternoon in Kuwait!

Details:

Minus 11

Level M2, Tijaria tower, Soor Street, Kuwait City.

Timings: Open daily from 10am to 111pm.

$$: 10 KD for kids below 12 and 15 KD for adults.

Al Shaheed Park

Address: Soor Street in Kuwait City (opposite Tijaria Tower).

Timings: Open daily from 5am to 10pm. With the exception of Friday- 1 pm to 10 pm.

$$: Free (Yay!)